This watchdog blog, by journalist Norman Oder, offers analysis, commentary, and reportage about the $4.9 billion project to build the Barclays Center arena and 16 high-rise buildings at a crucial site in Brooklyn. Dubbed Atlantic Yards by developer Forest City Ratner in 2003, it was rebranded Pacific Park in 2014 after the Chinese government-owned Greenland Group bought a 70% stake in 15 towers. New York State still calls it Atlantic Yards. Contact: AtlanticYardsReport[at]hotmail.com

King, who lives in suburban Philadelphia and spent a good chunk of his professional career in that city, made a stunningly uninformed comment, equating the Atlantic Yards setting to the setting for the United Center in Chicago, suggesting that the impact of the arena would be similar.

Chicago vs. Brooklyn

The United Center is located on a 46-acre parcel. The Atlantic Yards arena is located on a, what, six-acre parcel?

The United Center is located in a non-residential area west of the Chicago Loop. The Barclays Center will abut neighborhoods that have predominantly low-rise and mid-rise residential buildings.

The arena, yes, will bring changes to Brooklyn, notably event-related retail and entertainment. But there's no comparison to Chicago. (Nor, really, to L.A., but that's a different story.)

You have the Garden and you have this,” King said. “I would equate this to the United Center in Chicago, and what this did for the area of Chicago. Or the Staples Center, and what it did to that part of L.A.

“I think this will do the same thing for this area. A lot of people fought it. But I think once it’s built, they’ll realize five or six years from now this area will be booming.”

Above all, there will be a sense of area pride, stressed Nets' general manager Billy King.

"I would equate this to the opening of the United Center in Chicago for what it did to that area or the Staples Center in Los Angeles for what it did for that area of L.A. and I think this will do the same thing for this area," the GM said. "I think a building matters. This building will give a fan base the opportunity to walk a couple blocks to a game, or jump on a subway. Brooklyn will have its own team. If you grew up in Brooklyn, there's going to be a sense of pride."

What do you think?
“This will be the first time an arena like this will be built in a New York City area. I equate this probably to the opening of United Center in Chicago for what it did to the downtown area of Chicago or the Staples Center, what it did to that part of L.A. I think this will do the same thing for this area. A lot of people fought it, but once it’s built I think they’ll realize five or six years from now this area will be booming.”